Eusebio Ríos

Eusebio Ríos

Personal information
Full name	Eusebio Ríos Fernández
Date of birth	(1935-03-30)30 March 1935
Place of birth	Portugalete, Spain
Date of death
Place of death	Portugalete, Spain
Position(s)	Defender
Youth career
	Galindo Sestao
	Ortuella
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1955–1956	Arenas Getxo
1956–1958	Indautxu	52	(0)
1958–1968	Betis	218	(1)
International career
1964	Spain	1	(0)
Managerial career
1970–1972	Jaén
1972–1975	Barakaldo
1976–1979	Recreativo
1979–1980	Valladolid
1981–1985	Murcia
1986–1987	Deportivo La Coruña
1988	Betis
1990–1992	Rayo Vallecano
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

This name uses Spanish naming customs: the first or paternal family name is Ríos and the second or maternal family name is Fernández.

Eusebio Ríos Fernández (30 March 1935 – 10 May 2008) was a Spanish football defender and manager.

Playing career

Born in Portugalete, Biscay, Ríos started his career in his native Basque Country, representing two teams. In 1958 he moved to Andalusia after signing with Real Betis, going on to play in ten seasons with the club (nine in La Liga) before retiring in 1968 at 33 years of age; his debut in the top flight occurred on 21 September 1958 in a 4–2 win against Sevilla FC, in what was the first official match played at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán Stadium.

Ríos gained one cap for Spain, playing the second half of a 1–2 friendly loss with Portugal in Porto, on 15 November 1964.

Manager career

Ríos began coaching in 1970, shortly after retiring. After two years with Real Jaén in the third division and three with Barakaldo CF in the second, he signed with Recreativo de Huelva in the latter level, achieving the oldest club in Spain's first-ever top flight promotion, followed by immediate relegation back.

In the following years Ríos helped another two teams promote to the top division, Real Valladolid and Real Murcia, spending three seasons with the latter. After one 1/2 seasons with Deportivo de La Coruña in the second tier he was appointed at former side Betis, being sacked on 30 November 1988 after a 2–6 away loss against Atlético Madrid, in a relegation-ending season; he later worked with the club as director of football.

Ríos' last manager job was with Rayo Vallecano (two seasons), being one of two coaches in the 1991–92 campaign – the other was a young José Antonio Camacho – as the Madrid outskirts team returned to the top flight. He was part of Athletic Bilbao's coaching staff in two separate seasons (1997–98 and 2001–02).

Personal life

Ríos' son, Roberto, was also a footballer and a defender. He played his entire career with Betis and Athletic Bilbao, also going on to represent the national team.

Death

Ríos died in his hometown of Portugalete on 10 May 2008, at the age of 73.

External links

• Eusebio Ríos profile at BDFutbol
• Eusebio Ríos manager profile at BDFutbol
• National team data (Spanish)
• Eusebio Ríos at National-Football-Teams.com
• Spain stats at Eu-Football